THE FIRST AMENDMENT

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

HISTORY

• After several years before the under the weak government of the
• Articles of Confederation, a Constitutional Convention proposed a
• New constitution on September 17th, 1787
• George Mason proposed that the constitution should include a bill of rights
• James Madison diasgreed with Mason but later became a future Bill of Rights Drafter

NEED FOR THE AMENDMENT

• List and guarantee personal rights and liberties that the law can not abridge

CONTROVERSIES